79 Y84 Trans Am Project
 

About two years ago, we picked up a 79 Trans Am to work on with my son who was 17 at the time. A previous owner started a restoration, but it stalled, and a friend bought it. It sat in his trailer for a couple years until I mentioned to him that we were looking for a project. Here it is in his trailer.

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It's a true Y84 car sans the original 403 and automatic transmission. It's completely rust free and no sign of any collision damage, so nice starting point. It's also a non t-top car, which my son prefers because he plans to do autocross and other track activities with it. Our original plan was to restore it on a budget with updated engine, driveline, suspension, brakes, etc. We're mostly holding to the plan, except for the budget part.

It will take a few posts to catch up to where we are on the project now. Here's the car, and everything that came with it, at home in our shop.

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Oh cool project pops...what you going to do for power

I would have loved for him to run something like the aluminum 535 that's in my '70 Formula. But given the budget and the fact that my son doesn't have the same brand loyalty sensibilities as me, the answer seemed obvious...

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I found this cheap high milage LQ4 locally. It ran great, so I had planned to clean it up and drop it in. But I just couldn't leave well enough alone and had it rebuilt with quality parts...forged bottom end, 4" stroke, healthy cam, etc. Should be a blast to drive.

Prolly lighter for autocross at least...

That LQ4 is gonna rip in that car. I just dynoed a cam only LQ4 in my 78 Vette, and it made 372 to the wheels, and that's with a smallish camshaft, stock heads, and mid length headers.

Looks like an awesome project!

The car came with the Custom Cloth Interior in Camel. We're going back to Camel Custom Interior, but torn on whether to go with the cloth or vinyl for the seats.

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My son's first project on the car involved welding up the holes where the body side moldings were attached.

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His first major project involved installing the mini-tubs (so he can run 335 30 18s). It probably took him 30 or so hours.

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The Camel Lombardy cloth & hobnail (trim 62X) interior is cooler to the touch in the hot summer than vinyl buckets. Special ordered my '80 SE w the 62X camel hobnail interior after driving my Dads '79 403 T/A Solar gold/62X interior.

During the late 70's, i also drove over a dozen '77-79 Birds & Camaro Z28's as GMAC repo's. Most of the latter had all vinyl interiors, not very comfortable in shorts in the Summer.

Thank you...something for us to consider given that it can get really hot here in Arizona.

After the mini tubs were installed, we hauled the car to a friend's place. He volunteered to help us prep and paint it. The original plan was to get it done quickly (in a couple weekends), but he convinced us that given how nice the body is, it would be worth taking our time and doing it right. It ended up taking 9 full months. Lots of weekends spent sanding, but it was a great experience for us...my son now knows what it takes to do this type of work. It did turn out really nice. We used single stage so the black is really deep.

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We had the subframe powder coated. When it came back we installed solid full height subframe bushings from Speedtech, and Ridetech's full coilover front suspension.

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We started to install the Ridetech 4-link coilover suspension. But after seeing what this involved, we decided to run the fuel and brake lines first. We had custom sized hard lines made which we flared and installed tube nuts (3/8 fuel, 3/8 return, 3/16 brake).

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Went with a 9", Richmond 3rd member, 3.25 gears, Powertrax Grip Pro differential. Had the differential housing made with Torino ends, and factory width so that we could run rear wheels without a deep dish.

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The tank is from Tanks Inc. We went with a Walbro 340lph turbine style pump, which is compatible with the PWM fuel controller which we plan to use.

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We went with 14" Wildwood AERO6 front brakes. Can also see the Ridetech TruTurn and Borgeson 12.7:1 steering box installed. We're going with custom front sway bar to accommodate 295 front tires.

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In the rear, 13" Superlite with electronic parking brake.

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Test fitted the 408. Used Holley engine swap mounts.

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Nice!

I like the powdercoated black rotors, much cleaner, no dust... :)

The park brake is neat, would Americans bother with it being used?! I wonder if it can wired into the security system, like an over ride if triggered and not just a simple release and roll away.

Wildwood e-coats their rotors for corrosion resistance. It will wear off as the pads bed in.

We went with the electronic parking brake primarily to avoid having to deal with cable routing challenges (tucked up exhaust, suspension modifications, subframe connectors, etc.). However, there is a lot of wiring and a controller, so not sure whether this will simplify things.

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Beautiful build! Love the attention to detail

We went with a TKX 5 speed with the .68 fifth gear. Should work well with the 3.25 gears (about 2100rpm at 75mph).

Installed the manual transmission hump. The Silver Sport offset shifter ended up right where it needed to be.

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Alignment/runout on the bellhousing was within spec, so no need for offset dowels. The Silver Sport hydraulic release bearing is designed differently than the Tilton unit I've used previously, but it went on without issue. The only trick was catching the ear of the loose hydraulic release bearing with the alignment pin installed above the TKX's input shaft.

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Everything ended up where it should be.

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All caught up now! My son is home from school on winter break so we have another week or so to make more progress.

Installed the brake and clutch master cylinders, as well as the pedals. Bled the hydraulic release bearing. Clutch is now functional.

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Next up....vintage air.

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We mocked up the A/C unit. Considering whether to run the lines as per instructions through the kick panel and blower motor hole or use bulkhead ports. The former set-up is more straightforward and leaves more room on the firewall, but servicing the lines down the road is much more difficult.

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Pulled the unit to install Dynamat. Will add 1/8 inch Dynaliner as well.

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Mocked up the GM (C6) drive by wire accelerator pedal using the bracket from Holley.

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We ended up spending quite a bit of time trying different options to route the A/C hoses. The only way I could get the lines in a position to work with a 4 port bulkhead connector was to move the evaporator unit towards the driver side of the car a few inches. I bought and two 2-port bulkhead connectors to give me more degrees of freedom, and made some short lines with vintage air e-z clip fittings to connect the evaporator unit to the bulkheads, but still couldn't get the lines positioned in a way that work well enough. The lines would have come out a weird places on firewall. I talked to vintage air a couple times to ask about other options, including the IIMuch pass through bulkhead. But they suggested that the best option by far is to run it per the instructions through the kick panel and blower motor hole. That's where we ended up.

I did use the Vintage Air e-z clip lines because they're smaller in diameter and more flexible than their regular lines, which I thought would give me more wiggle room and make the install easier. I think it did. However, I noticed that after the clamps are set, the fittings can turn on the hose with a little pressure. So, although I know that this system has been in use for quite while, I'm a little nervous about leaks and whether they will hold up as well as a regular crimped line. Does anyone have experience with these fittings, and if so, how well do they work?

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Started to install components on 408 so we can make decisions about how to route wires and other components. Trying to keep things simple with our parts selection...LS3 coils, LS3 throttle body, 42lb injectors...hoping that it will be easy to tune and service.

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We finished up with the Dynamat, including taping up the seams with foil tape. Before we lay down the carpet, we'll install a layer of thin close cell foam, and mass loaded vinyl in a few areas. I did this with my '70 Formula and it really cut down road noise and gives the car a solid feel throughout.

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The carpet arrived from ACC, the shade of tan is a little lighter than I thought it would be. The package tray also arrived, and it's a little darker than I thought it would be. I also had paint mixed to match the various interior shades. Looking at the pieces next to each other makes me a little concerned how it's all going to work together, but I had the same reaction to the Sandalwood interior in my '70.

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One major challenge of building a car like this is figuring out where to install the various aftermarket electronic controllers and associated wiring so that everything is secure, easy to access and service, and relatively hidden. Also have to consider potential issues with RFI/EMI. My son fabricated some brackets and mounted the ECU behind the glove box door.

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I was going to have someone go through/refurbish the OEM steering column, but decided to go with an aftermarket tilt unit from Flaming River. I ordered the 70-78 model because I prefer a splined shaft on the column instead DD. Rather than using a microswitch and relays like Ididit, Flaming River uses an OEM style mechanical ignition switch for a more positive feel. The only odd thing about Flaming River columns is that their 1"48 splined shafts are oversized slightly, so the tried and true Borgeson u-joints won't fit without a lot of effort. I had to buy a more expensive Flaming River u-joint, which looks to be of similar quality. I had paint matched to the OEM column. We bought a Lecarra leather wrapped formula wheel in Chestnut, which matches really well.

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Nice column and steering wheel!

Holley put their stainless steel long tube 1 3/4" primary LS swap headers on clearance and dropped the price by over $500, so we pulled the trigger. 1 3/4" primary should work well enough with the engine as it's currently set up. Mid length headers would have been smarter from a ground clearance standpoint, but these are supposed to tuck up nicely when used with the Holley engine swap mounts. We'll see this weekend.

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Installed the headers. Overall, we're happy with the fit. Needed a little adjustment on the RH side for more clearance with the subframe, but no biggie. Plenty of room to install the GM LS3 starter with heat shield attached. Factory dipstick fits as well. Steering shaft also fits, so all good.

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Starting to do the wiring now. Does anyone have a good picture, or can explain where I need to route the wires for dome lamp under the headliner?

Dome lights are easy, deluxe type are probably the same. Wiring retainers could be hard red or clip over clear/white and follow the roof holes. The harness runs through to the trunk where it piggybacks onto the trunk harness/main harness to dash connector.

https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/...ba017de3_c.jpgFirebird roof dome light insulation1 by Ben, on Flickr

Thank you, the photo is exactly what I was looking for. I'm using an American Autowire classic update kit, and some of the harnesses are set up differently than OEM, but trying to do things correctly where I can.

Man, this car is coming out beautifully!

That rear suspension is pretty cool.

We're still a ways away from being ready to start the engine, but would really like to have as much done in the engine bay as possible prior to hanging the front sheetmetal. So we've been researching accessory drive systems for a couple weeks. We thought about cobbling one together using OEM brackets and adaptors, but prefer an engineered system that looks more finished. There are a several options out there (e.g., Vintage Air, March, Holley, CVF, Drive Junkey, Wegner), but choices are limited by several constraints that we created. The main one being we only have about about 12" from the crank centerline to the bulky Borgeson steering box, the top of which is about 1.5" above the crank centerline. It turns out there are only a couple options that were compact enough to allow us to run a power steering pump with an attached reservoir. We need to run attached because there's no room for a remote one given that the battery will be in the OEM location. In the end, we chose Wegner WAK033...it's very compact, uses off the shelf accessories, and the belt wraps around the power steering pulley (rather than just kissing the pulley). Won't ship for 2-3, but we have plenty to keep us busy in the meantime.

Making progress with the wiring now. Tail light harness required a lot of crimping. Tail light housing are all cleaned up and ready to install. Headliner arrived yesterday, so we may tackle that this weekend.

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Which headliner kit did u go?

One piece plastic with perforated vinyl attached from Classic Industries (HLB21)...not sure if it's PUI or ACME.

Installed the tail lights over the weekend. I was considering a new set of lenses, but these should do.

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Also pulled out the dash pad we plan to use. We set it in the car to make sure the back edge is reasonably straight. No tears and the vinyl is still supple, but we'll need to fix the radio area. I bought a 3D printed 78-81 face plate from Restore a Muscle Car that I may be able to attach somehow and use to install a RetroSound 2 post radio. I run one of these radios in my 70 Formula, which I use with an amp, quality speakers (6x9 rears and a stereo 4x10 up front), and a small sub in the trunk. Works great, but a little tough to hear over the 535 and road noise. We'll use a similar set up in this car, but will add 4x6s in the kick panels.

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Oh I was i-balling that RAMC unit too...this is exciting

Received the Wegner accessory drive. We'll need to have the machinist hone the ATI damper hub before we can start installing.

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Also received the Mightymouse PCV catch can. Probably overkill, but I understand these systems work well.

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We have a really nice gauge bezel but will need to make it gold. Experimented a bit and think this lacquer tint will work well.

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The radio bezel from RAMC looks exactly like the OER piece, but I think it should work well enough with the RetroSound radio we plan to use.

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Sprayed the gauge bezel with gold tint, and painted the surround black. Just have to rivet the top plate back on. Here's a photo of it next to the original that came with the car.

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We thought we might need a bit of room behind the RH side fuel rail so we went with a Raingear hidden windshield wiper set up (with the delay option). It was pretty easy to install. The only think I'm not crazy about is that we have to use their switch, which looks nothing like a factory stitch.

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We also bottom mounted some nice 6x9's under the package tray. The 10" JL audio sub fits well in this spot and is out of the way. 5 channel amp will go on the other side.

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Installed the steering shaft this weekend. Not sure if the rubber boot on the collapsable shaft is too close to the header. Also installed the accessory drive. It fit well. Need to install the core support to see how much room we have for a radiator and fan/shroud. Would love to get brushless fans but those set-ups seem to take up a lot of space.

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Finished up with the fuel lines and fuel pressure regulator. Was considering a Corvette style regulator, which we could have hidden under the car, but plenty of room to install a unit that can easily handle the 340gph pump in case the VaporWorx PWM controller ever fails.

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Also installed a Mightymouse PCV catch can on the plate we made to cover the wiper motor hole. Will just need to run one more line from the RH valve cover to the air intake tube (which we still need to get). The Terminator X requires a MAT sensor, so that will need to go in the intake tube as well (no accommodation for this on the intake).

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We plan to run the Terminator harness through the firewall just below the RH fuel rail. There's a hole there already, but we'll need to make it a bit bigger to accommodate the connectors. With the A/C installed and engine built up, no room for a hole saw, but should be able to use a Greenlee knockout punch.

We also mocked up the core support so we could measure for the radiator and electric fan set-up. Looks like we have just enough room to run a 26" wide dual 12" brushless fan shroud set-up from Derale. It will end up being really close to the steering box. Trying to decide between a Cold Case LS swap radiator, or Griffin performance fit LS radiator. Wondering if one would be better from a fan shroud mounting standpoint?

We're running solid body & core support mounts from Speedtech...hoping we set this up correctly.

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Installed the Terminator X Max harness through the firewall (in a 2" hole behind the RH frame rail). Everything is fairly hidden and connectors landed where they're supposed to. We won't be using several of the connectors and was considering de-pinning them to further clean up the wiring (e.g., IAC, TPS) but will wait until we get it running first just in case.

The OEM door hardware was in great shape, so we just cleaned and lubricated everything. We used my last set of NOS glass channel weatherstrips and NOS outside door handles. Assembly and adjusting went smoothly. The Pilkington glass is super clear, not splotchy, and fits great...nice and tight against the Fairchild window seals. The doors open and close with a nice thunk, and with hardly any effort, so the Metro door seal & Fairchild window seal combo was a winner for us.

We also installed the inner fenders, mostly to get a sense of where the radiator and fan shroud would land. It looks like there's plenty of room.

I've only ever installed the fender and inner fender attached together. Wondering if it's a lot harder to install the fenders with the inner fenders attached to the car? This way I could continue to work on the wiring & A/C lines in the engine bay without worrying about messing up the painted fenders. Thoughts?

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We bought a cold case 2nd gen LS swap radiator. The only odd thing is that the upper radiator hose fitting is 1.5" rather than the LS standard 1.25". There are adaptors available, so not a huge deal. The lower radiator hose will end up being close to the subframe but should be OK.

We also bought a Spal brushless fan & shroud set-up from Derale. Expensive, but very high airflow for 12" fans (4400cfm together) , and having PWM will be nice...and much easier wiring since there's no need for relays. We were planning to control them using the proprietary Spal temp sensor, but there isn't an ideal location for the 3/8 sensor on the hot side of the cooling system--at least not without adaptors--so we plan to control them through the Terminator X. Spent some time on the phone with Andrew (Dr. EFI) yesterday to talk about this strategy and wiring it up with the trinary switch. Andrew is super helpful and knowledgeable about this stuff.

Should not take much fabrication to make the shroud fit perfectly on the radiator. The pair also fit well in the car...was relieved to find no interference with the steering box. All for now...

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It took a bit of work, but we finished up with the radiator and fan shroud. Need to think about some baffling between the sides of the radiator and core support. Also have to find radiator hoses that will work. Going to order tires tomorrow...not many choices in the sizes that we plan to run (335 30 18 and 275 35 18), Continental Extreme Contact Sport 02 or BFGoodrich G Force Rival S 1.5. I run the latter tire on my 70 Formula...super sticky but not great in the rain.

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Looking great so far, that car is going to be a blast to drive! In regards to the fenders, I usually install the inner fenders after the fenders. I just unbolt the bottom heel and pull it out a couple inches to squeeze the inner in place. You can probably leave those inner fenders in place, but will be a little tricky, but what about building a car isn’t!

Needs a little more adjusting, but one down, one to go! We installed the fender and inner fender together as one piece. Will be more challenging on the other side because we have to snake the ac/lines through the space between the fender and inner fender.

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Installed the RH fender.

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Tires arrived, 335 30 18 and 275 35 18, so we could figure out how much back space we need before ordering the wheels (Forgeline TA3, polished lip race gold centers with the spoke faces machined). We came up with 8" for the rear wheels. Exactly 2.5" more than my 70, which makes sense because the rear end on my 70 was narrowed by 2.5". We went with factory width on this car so the dish on the front and rear wheels would look the same. The fronts are more tricky. Ridetech said 6" so we tried the fronts on my 70, which are 6.125. I thought these would fit well because the rotors on the AERO6 brakes are thicker than what Ridetech normally uses. No interference anywhere, but would look better if they tucked in a bit more. I think 6.5" will be as far as I can go before I start getting rubbing on the subframe on full turn.

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Finished up the A/C lines, air intake tube, radiator hoses, etc. Engine bay is almost done...just need to install coolant overflow tank, battery and wire up the starter, alternator, & fans.

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We decided to go with shorter coilovers & springs in the front. We originally deviated from Ridetech's standard set-up and went with a taller shock and spring thinking we'd need more ground clearance, but even at the lowest setting we we were basically at factory ride height. The stance is better now with Ridetech's standard set-up, but there were some unintended consequences. For one thing, we ripped a boot on one of the lower ball joints while trying to separate the spindle, so we'll be replacing a ball joint today if it comes in. Second, lowering the front end changed the geometry somewhat and we now have less clearance with the subframe (and also the rear of the upper control arm)...so we're going with a little less backspace (6.25). Here's what that looks like.

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Started to work on the dash. Took several tries, but we finally got the color right...matched to a piece of vinyl on the original dash beneath the lighter. Deviations from OEM include a switch for the electronic parking break next to the lighter, subwoofer level control in place of the parking brake handle (the EPB switch didn't fit there), Vintage Air control panel, Retrosound radio (5 channel amp in the trunk). Not shown is the Dakota Digital RTX gauges. We also started on the dash harness...a bit of work ahead of us there. Not too much left, but still a lot to do.

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Installed the headliner, dome lamp, and visor brackets. The shiny new visor brakes were impossible to twist, so cleaned up and installed the original ones. Next up are the headliner side trim pieces, sail panels, kick panels, and then door panels. Seat covers I ordered from Legendary in December finally arrived. We'll get the fronts covered now. Will have to wait to do the rears until we can drive the car to the upholsterers. We had to narrow the rear seat for the mini tubs and so the foam and seat covers need to be modified to fit. We probably won't get much done for the next couple weeks.

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After 6 weeks, the Forgeline TA3s arrived yesterday. We measured and ordered for lug nuts today. The only issue is that for some reason Forgeline included a second valve stem hole and fitting (maybe for a pressure sensor) in the back of the front wheels (but not the rears), and the fittings interfere with the lower tie rod end. I'll call Forgeline on Monday to ask what I can do...hoping there's some sort of plug to replace the fitting. I don't want to grind on the tie rod end or use a wheel spacer. Once that situation is resolved I'll schedule the mobile tire installer.

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Love the wheels!